Anti-tilting system for vehicles



Nov. 15, 1966 F. H.'VAN WINSEN 3,285,623

ANTI-TILTING SYSTEM FOR VEHICLES Filed Sept. 8, 1964 INVENTOR. FRIEDRICH H. VAN WINSEN BY cudi A TTORNE United States Patent 3,285,623 ANTl-TILTING SYSTEM FOR VEHICLES Friedrich H. van Winsen, Kirclilieim-Teck, Germany, assignor to Daimler-Benz Aktiengesellschaft, Stuttgart- Unterturkheim, Germany Filed Sept. 8, 1964, Ser. No. 394,802 4 Claims. (Cl. 280-112) The present invention relates to a system for the crossstabilization of the vehicle body in motor vehicles, in which the wheel carriers of each axle are coupled with one another by an interrupted torsion-rod-stabilizer whose two parts are connected with each other by. a hydraulic adjusting motor, in which the torsion rod ends are adapted to be rotated or twisted with respect to one another by the working fluid by means of the adjusting motors in case of tilting of the vehicle body and in which the working fluid is controlled by a hydraulic control circuit adapted to be influenced by the transverse tilting forces, as described more fully in German Patent 1,105,290.

The basic arrangement as described above was pro-v posed in the aforementioned German patent.

of the control fluid changes with the magnitude of the prevailing centrifugal force and/or with the magnitude of the tilting or inclination of the road surface. At the same time the flow of control fluid is to be so conducted in dependence on the centrifugal force direction and/or on the direction of the tilting of the road surface that the torsion rods are twisted or rotated with respect to each other in the desired manner as described in the aforementioned German patent.

The underlying problems are solved by the present invention with an arrangement as disclosed in the aforementioned German patent in that the control fluid is adapted to be controlled with the aid of a separate slide valve element by means of a mass constructed as a pendulum whose position relative to the vehicle body changes in case of deviation thereof from the horizontal, and in that case the housing receiving the slide valve member is loaded or acted upon by the control fluid and by aspring force storage means in sucha manner that with a deflection of the pendulum from the center position thereof the housing is adapted to be displaced by the pressure established at the slide valve in opposition to the spring force in the same sense as the slide valve member.

By reason of the fact that the pendulum displaces a control slide valve member whose housing follows the same by a displacement path, caused by the pressure adjusted at the control slide valve member, a force corresponding to this displacement path is built up in a spring force storage means so that a co-ordination of the deflection of the pendulum to the pressure of the control In order that this co-ordination be fluid is obtained. maintained, and more particularly in such a manner that the pressure of the control fluid does not influence or act on the pendulum, is achieved by the mutual telescoping sliding movements, one to the other, of the control slide valve member and housing with the support of the nested or telescoping displacement of control slide valve member and of housing.

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The control of a fluid by a pendulum is, of course, well known per se. However, such prior art devices do not deal with nor are concerned with the control fluid but instead deal directly with the working fluid. In. such prior art devices the pressure is also determined by fixed "throttles and the pendulum really controls only the direction by means of the slide valve member. At any rate, the pressure is not co-ordinated to the pendulum deflection but is independent thereof in these prior art devices.

With a construction according to the present invention a bearing support and a cylinder receiving the spring force storage means and connected with the control lines are secured at the vehicle body in such a manner that in the center position of the pendulum and of the piston in the spring term storage means, the spool-type slide valve member provided with three piston sections or piston spools is so disposed and located with respect to the supply and discharge apertures in its housing connected with the piston of the spring force storage means that the control fluid is supplied in a pressureless manner into the circulatory system through the supply and discharge apertures.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cross-stabilization system for vehicle bodies of motor vehicles which is simple in construction and effective in operation and which eliminates the aforementioned shortcomings and drawbacks encountered with the prior art constructions. M j

Another object of the present invention resides in the provision of a cross-stabilization system for the vehicle body in motor vehicles which determines accurately the cross-tilting force acting on the body by extremely simple means.

A further object of the present invention resides in the provision of a cross-stabilization system for motor vehicles in which the magnitude of the control fluid is varied in accordance with the magnitude of the actual tilting of the body.

Another objectof the present invention resides in the provision of a cross-stabilization system for vehicle bodies of motor vehicles utilizing a pendulum-type actuating control member in which the pressure is correlated in its magnitude to the deflection of the control member.

These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing which shows in the single figure thereof, for purposes of illustration only, one embodiment in accordance with the present invention.

Referring now to the single figure of the drawing, wherein like reference numerals are used throughout the view to designate likeparts, the same reference numerals being also used again in this case as in the aforementioned German patent, reference numerals 4 and 50 designate the adjusting motors which include conventional rotary pistons. Each adjusting motor 4 and 50 adjusts the interrupted ends of a respective torsion rod stabilizer whereby the parts 5 and 6 represent the interrupted parts of the forward torsion rod stabilizer cooperating with the adjusting motor 4 while the parts 7 and 8 represent the interiupted parts of the rear torsion rod stabilizer cooperating with the rear adjusting motor 50. The parts 5 and 6 and the parts 7 and 8 are operatively connected with the rotary piston and with the housing of a respective adjusting motor for rotation in unison therewith as is disclosed in the said German patent. The torsion rod parts 5 to 8 of the forward and of the rear torsion rod stabilizer are freely rotatably supported at the frame 9 in bearing places 51 to 54, by any conventional means. The outer ends 63 to 66 of the torsion rod parts 5 to 8 which are also angularly bent are appropriately connected with the wheel suspensions of, the respective vehicle wheels. The working fluid for the system is continuously supplied without pressure by a gear pump 61 into a circulatory circuit with the supply and discharge of the working fluid for the adjustment of the torsion rod part 5 to 8 taking place by way of the lines 22 and 23, respectively, within the forward adjusting motor 4. In conjunction with this hydraulic control arrangement the drawing illustrates schematically and partly in cross section a cross tilting control system in accordance with the present invention, the control fluid utilized therein is supplied by a gear pump 70 corresponding to the position of the control slide valve member 71 to 73 within the housing 74 either from the line 75 into the return lines 76 and 77 or into the lines 26 and 27 as well as into lines 79 and 78. The control fluid flowing into the line 26 and 27 acts in a manner not specifically illustrated herein on another control slide member within the hydraulic adjusting motor 4 whose position controls the conduction of the working fluid, that represents a separate fluid circulatory system, to the adjusting motor for the adjustment of the torsion 'rod parts. The control slide valve member 71 to 73 is pivotally connected with the pendulum generally desig- .nated by reference numeral 80. The pendulum mass 81 is suspended by way of the pendulum rod 82 at the bearing support 83 of the vehicle body. This pendulum 88 produces, depending on the respective deviation of the vehicle body from the horizontal, according to magnitude and direction a displacement path of the control slide to one another remains constant and fixed. The piston .84 is held in its illustrated center position by means of two compression springs 86 and 87. The pressure spaces 88 and 89 are connected by way of lines 78 and 79 with the lines 27 and 26 for the control fluid. In the center position of the pendulum 80 no centrifugal force acts on the vehicle body and the pendulum mass 81 is suspended vertically downwardly. The piston 84 is held by the springs 86 and 87 in the center position of the pressure cylinder 85 and the control slide valve member 71 to 73 is so disposed and located in the housing 74 that the control fluid supplied by the pump 7 0 is supplied pressureless into circulatory circuit system of lines 75 and 76 and 77.

Operation The operation of the deflection of the pendulum 80 on the pressure of the control fluid will now be described by reference to a right hand curve.

When driving through a right hand curve the pendulum mass 81 of the pendulum 80 is deflected toward the left into the position shown in the dash and dot lines. The control slide valve member 71 to 73 is displaced toward the left and the control fluid flows from the line 75 into the lines 26 and 79. The control fluid actuates by way of line 79 the piston 84 and by way of line 26 a control valve slide member (not shown) within the adjusting motors, whose position valves or controls, as mentioned hereinabove, the working fluid for the rotation or twisting of the torsion rod parts in a corresponding manner. The piston 84 is displaced toward the left against the force of spring 86. The pressure of the control fluid is increased to such an extent, that is, the piston 84 compresses the spring 86 to such an extent until the housing 74 is displaced relative to the control slide valve member 71 to 73 in such a manner that a throttling of the control fluid pressure takes place by way of the discharge lines 77 and 76 and a pressure is adjusted in the lines 26 and 79 and in the housing 74 corresponding to the force of the spring 86. If the vehicle drives, for example, along a straight road which is, however, inclined in the vehicle transverse direction, then the pendulum also responds and the torsion rod parts of the torsion rod stabilizer are rotated relative to one another whereby a force applied by way of the vehicle wheel to the road surface is effective or acts in opposition to the static wheel load and therewith the vehicle spring is loaded less by the now less static wheel load, and the vehicle body is lifted on the side of the inclined road surface relative to the vehicle wheel of this side.

While I have shown and described one embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it is understood that the same is not limited thereto but is susceptible of numerous changes and modifications as known to a person skilled in the art, and I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the details shown and described herein but intend to cover all such changes and modifications as are encompassed by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A system for cross-stabilizing the vehicle body in motor vehicles, in which the wheel suspension means of each axle are coupled with one another by an interrupted torsion rod stabilizer whose two parts are operatively connected with each other by a hydraulic adjusting motor operable to rotate the torsion rod ends with respect to each other by the working fluid in case of tilting of the vehicle body, and in which the working fluid is controlled by the control fluid of a hydraulic control circuit adapted to be influenced by the cross tilting forces, comprising:

working fluid circuit means operatively connected with the adjusting motor, and control circuit means operatively connected with said working circuit means for controlling the latter in dependence on the transverse tilting forces including slide valve means and sensing means constructed as pendulum and operatively connected with said control slide valve means in such a manner that the control slide valve means is displaced upon change of the vehicle body from the horizontal,

said slide valve means including valve housing means,

a slide valve member in said valve housing means, and means including spring force storage means for loading said valve housing means by the control fluid and by the spring force storage means in such a manner that in case of deflection said pendulum from the center position thereof said valve housing means is displaced by the pressure present at the slide valve means against the spring force of said spring force storage means and in the same direction as said slide valve member.

2. A system for cross-stabilizing the vehicle body in motor vehicles, in which the wheel suspension means of each axle are coupled with one another by an interrupted torsion rod stabilizer whose two parts are operatively connected with each other by a hydraulic adjusting motor operable to rotate the torsion rod ends with respect to each other by the working fluid in case of tilting of the vehicle body, and in which the working fluid is controlled by the control fluid of a hydraulic control circuit adapted to be influenced by the cross tilting forces, comprising:

working fluid circuit means operatively connected with the adjusting motor, and control circuit means operatively connected with said working circuit means for controlling the latter in dependence on the trans verse tilting forces including slide valve means and sensing means constructed as pendulum and operatively connected with said control slide valve means in such a manner that the control slide valve means is displaced upon change of vehicle body from the horizontal,

said slide valve means including valve housing means provided with inlet and discharge means and a slide valve member in said valve housing means,

and means including spring force storage means for loading said valve housing means by the control fluid and by the spring force storage means in such a manner that in case of deflection said pendulum from the center position thereof said valve housing means is displaced by the pressure present at the slide valve means against the spring force of said spring force storage means and in the same direction as said slide valve member,

said valve housing means being operatively connected with said spring force storage means, said sensing means including bearing support means, said spring force storage means including cylinder and piston means, and means connecting said bearing support means and said cylinder means at said vehicle body in such a manner that in the center position of said pendulum and of the piston means accommodated within said cylinder means the control slide valve member provided with three piston spools is located in such a manner relative to the inlet and discharge means within the valve housing means thereof that the control fluid is supplied in a pressureless manner into the control circuit through the inlet and discharge means.

3. A system for the cross-stabilization of the vehicle body in motor vehicles in which the wheel suspension means of each axle are coupled with one another by an interrupted torsion rod stabilizer whose two parts are operatively connected with each other by a hydraulic adjusting motor operable to rotate the torsion rod ends with respect to each other by the working fluid in case of tilting of the vehicle body, and in which the Working fluid is controlled by a hydraulic control circuit adapted to be influenced by the cross tilting forces, comprising:

working fluid circuit means operatively connected with the respective adjusting motor,

and means for controlling said working circuit means in dependence on the transverse tilting forces including control circuit means provided with control slide valve means, means responsive to tilting of the vehicle body constructed as pendulum and operatively connected with said control slide valve means in such a manner that the control slide valve means is adjusted upon change of the vehicle body from the horizontal,

said slide valve means including two parts consisting of valve housing and slide valve member in said housing, said pendulum being operatively connected with one of said two parts, and means including spring force storage means for loading the other of said two parts by the control fluid and the spring force of said spring force storage means in such a manner that in case of deflection of said pendulum from the center position thereof said other part is displaced by the pressure at the slide valve means against the spring force and in the same direction as said one part.

4. A system for the cross-stabilization of the vehicle body in motor vehicles in which the wheel suspension means of each axle are coupled with one another by an interrupted torsion rod stabilizer whose two parts are operatively connected with each other by a hydraulic adjusting motor operable to rotate the torsion rod ends with respect to each other by the working fluid in case of tilting of the vehicle body, and in which the working fluid is controlled by a hydraulic control circuit adapted to be influenced by the cross tilting forces, comprising:

working fluid circuit means operatively connected with the respective adjusting motor, and means for controlling said working circuit means in dependence on the transverse tilting forces including control circuit means provided with control slide valve means, means responsive to tilting of the vehicle body constructed as pendulum and operatively connected with said control slide valve means in such a manner that the control slide valve means is adjusted upon change of vehicle body from the horizontal, said slide valve means including two parts consisting of valve housing and slide valve member in said housing, said pendulum being operatively connected with one of said two parts, and means including spring force storage means for loading the other of said two parts by the control fluid and by the spring force of said spring force storage means in such a manner that in case of deflection of said pendulum from the center position thereof said other part is displaced by the pressure at the slide valve means against the spring force and in the same direction as said one part, said means responsive to the tilting of the vehicle body including bearing support means, and said spring force storage means including cylinder means and piston means, and means for securing said bearing support means and one of the two parts consisting of said piston and cylinder means at said vehicle body in such a manner that in the center position of said pendulum and of the other of said two lastmentioned parts, said slide valve means causes the control fluid to be supplied without pressure into the control circuit.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 899,569 9/ 1908 Siegmund 91-376 2,514,248 7/1950 Lombard 91378 X 3,194,581 7/1965 Brueder 2806 X 3,197,233 7/1965 Van Winsen 2801 12 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,226,661 2/ 1960 France. 1,309,058 1/ 1962 France.

BENJAMIN HERSH, Primary Examiner.

W. A. MARCONTELL, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A SYSTEM FOR CROSS-STABLIZING THE VEHICLE BODY IN MOTOR VEHICLES, IN WHICH THE WHEEL SUSPENSION MEANS OF EACH AXLE ARE COUPLED WITH ONE ANOTHER BY AN INTERRUPTED TORSION ROD STABILIZER WHOSE TWO PARTS ARE OPERATIVELY CONNECTED WITH EACH OTHER BY A HYDRAULIC ADJUSTING MOTOR OPERABLE TO ROTATE THE TORSION ROD ENDS WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER BY THE WORKING FLUID IN CASE OF TILTING OF THE VEHICLE BODY, AND IN WHICH THE WORKING FLUID IS CONTROLLED BY THE CONTROL FLUID OF A HYDRAULIC CONTROL CIRCUIT ADAPTED TO BE INFLUENCED BY THE CROSS TILTING FORCES, COMPRISING: WORKING FLUID CIRCUIT MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED WITH THE ADJUSTING MOTRO, AND CONTROL CIRCUIT MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED WITH SAID WORKING CIRCUIT MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE LATTER IN DEPENDENCE ON THE TRANSVERSE TILTING FORCES INCLUDING SLIDE VALVE MEANS AND SENSING MEANS CONSTRUCTED AS PENDULUM AND OPERATIVELY CONNECTED WITH SAID CONTROL SLIDE VALVE MEANS IN SUCH A MANNER THAT THE CONTROL SLIDE VALVE MEANS IS DISPLACED UPON CHANGE OF THE VEHICLE BODY FROM THE HORIZONTAL, SAID SLIDE VALVE MEANS INCLUDING VALVE HOUSING MEANS, A SLIDE VALVE MEMBER IN SAID VALVE HOUSING MEANS, AND MEANS INCLUDING SPRING FORCE STORAGE MEANS FOR LOADING SAID VALVE HOUSING MEANS BY THE CONTROL FLUID AND BY THE SPRING FORCE STORAGE MEANS IN SUCH A MANNER THAT IN CASE OF DEFLECTION SAID PENDULUM FROM THE CENTER POSITION THEREOF SAID VALVE HOUSING MEANS IS DISPLACED BY THE PRESSURE PRESENT AT THE SLIDE VALVE MEANS AGAINST THE SPRING FORCE OF SAID SPRING FORCE STORAGE MEANS AND IN THE SAME DIRECTION AS SAID SLIDE VALVE MEMBER. 